Clutch plate



H. v. REED CLUTCH PLATE July l, 1930.

Filed March *7`, 19294 Patented July 1, 1930l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD V. REED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BORG & BECK COMPANY,

- OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CLUTCH PLATE Application le March V7, 1929. Serial No'. 345,142.

This invention relates to friction clutches of the kind wherein a friction plate is interposed between two parts of a driving member. and is adapted to be gripped or clamped by the parts under suliicient pressure to 1mpa-rt movement from the driving member to the driven member of the clutch. The inven- .tion` is particularly desirable in a friction clutch for automotive vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel clutch plate having friction rings` which will take hold smoothly 'and evenly throughout .their contact area when pressure is initially applied and by yielding but rapid progressive action make the clutch act quickly and etliciently without grabbing or jerking.

vide a novel clutch plate with continuous friction rings andto make full engagementv between the friction rings and the driving members throughout the application of pres-A sure whereby to secure maximum efficiency in a rapid progressive movement and without uneven wear on the rings.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a clutch plate with a relatively fixed frictiony ring and with a movable friction ring which is yieldingly supported in a novel manner to move bodily and progressively under clutch pre`ssure,towards the fixed friotion ring to provide a soft andsmooth clutch action. f

In the accompanyingdrawings I have illustrated a selected embodiment of the invention, and referring thereto Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the clutch plate showing one of the friction rings partly broken away. f

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 4of Fig. 1. f

yReferring to the drawings, the clutch plate comprises a disk 5 mounted on a hub 6 and provided with a friction ring 7 which is secured fiat against one side of the plate byv rivets 8 or other suitable fastening devices. The disk is provided with a plurality of wings 9 spaced apart annularly within the Another object of the invention is to pro-- periphery of the disk and all extending in the same direction. Each wing is struck from the `disk and in the form illustrated, the side slits 10 are substantially parallel and normal to the front slit 11. These wings 9 are bentl outward or off-set to support the friction ring 12 which is arranged on the opposite side ofthe disk to the ring7. Other wings 13 are struck from the disk and alternate with the wings 9 and also extend annularly within the periphery of the disk and. in the same direction. Each of these Wings 13 has atongue 14 at its outer end, and sidelips 15 are formed by re-entrant slits 16 between the lips and the tongue. The tongues and the lips are bent outward or off-set to support the friction ring 12 and the latter is fastened to the tongues at the ends thereof by rivets'17 or other suitable fastening means. In the form shown the tongues are angularly disposed with relation to the wings so that the rivets 17 may lie with the rivets 8 in the same line concentric with the periphery of the disk. The friction rings are continuous, the ring 7 being rigidly fastened atly to one side of the disk and the ring 12 being fastened rigidly to the tongues 14 but supported by the tongues and the lips 15 and the wings 9 yi'eldingly in off-set relation to the disk. Under application of pressure in a clutch installation the friction ring 12 Will yield gradually to provide a progressive clutch action Whicheliminates jerking and grabbing.' Un der the application of pressure the friction rings make full engagement with contacting parts whereby the clutch action isjcomparaengagement gives the maximum friction ef-` feet and also provides for uniform wear of the rings. All of the yielding supporting parts for the friction ring 12 will be simultaneously-compressed. The tongues are more resilient than the wings 9 and since the ring 12 is fastened to the ends of the tongues any tendency of the ring to shift annularly will be permitted by the tongues. The invention provides a clutch plate having two continuous friction facing rings. one of these rings being atly and rigidly fastened on one side o spac apart within the periphery of the to yieldingly support the ring but also yieldingly connect the rin with the body of the disk by enabling a imited annular move- V `ment of the ring relative to the diskwithout loosening or shearin the fastening devices by which the ring is astened to the tongues. I have shown the invention in a simple form'suitable for embodiment in an automotive clutch but I reserve the right to make all such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as may be necessary or desirable to adapt the invention 'for other clutches, or for other purposes and within the scope of the following claims:

I claim: -1; 'A clutch plate comprising a disk having a luralit o ,spacedY apart within the riphery of the disk and all extending annu arly in the same direction, a friction ring arran ed on the disk over said wings, and meansI em odying a portion unitary with the disk and independent :if 1the-.wings for connecting the ring to the spaced apart within the periphery of the disk and all extending anhularlyinthe same direction, a friction ring arranged onthe disk over said Wings, and means located between thekwings and connecting the ring with the 3. A clutch plate comprising-a disk having aV luralit yof wings olf-set on one side theredisk and all extending annularly in the same direction, a friction ring arranged on the disk over said win and tongues on the disk alternating Wit the Wings and forming with the' wings a yielding support for the ring.

4. A clutch plate comprising a disk having afplilrality of Wings olf-set on one side 'thereo spacedl apart within the peripher of the disk and all extending annularly in t esame direction, a friction ring arranged on the disk oversaid wings'yield'ing tongues on the disk alternatin with the wings, and means fastening sai ring yto said tongues.

' miA 5. A clutch plate comprising a disk having aflur'alitv. of Wings olf-set on one side thereo ,space apart within the peripher of the 4disk vand -all extending annularly int e same direction,- a friction ring arranged on the disk of wings off-set on or@ side therey ,l 2. A clutch plate comprising a' disk having f afplurality of wings off-set on one side there o 3 "w over said wings, yieldin tongues-on'some of said wings, and means astening said ring to said tongues.

disk and all extending annularly in the same direction, a friction ring arranged on the disk over said wings, yielding tongues on alternating wings, and means fastening said ring to sald tongues.

7. A clutch plate comprising a disk havin a plurality of wings olf-set on one side thereo spaced apart within the periphery of the disk and all extending annularly in the same direction, a friction ring arranged on the disk over said wings, some of said wings having yielding tongues and lips thereon, and means fastenin said ring to said tongues. v

8. A c utch plate comprising a disk'havin a plurality ofwings off-set on one side thereo spaced .apart within the periphery of the disk and al1 extending annularlv in the same direction, a friction ring arranged on vthe disk over said wings,y some of said wings 'having yieldin tongues and yielding lips at the sideso said tongues, and means fastening said rin to said tongues.

v9. Ac utch vplate comprising a disk having aplurality of wings off-set on one side thereof, spaced apart within the periphery of the disk and all extending annular-ly in the same di- `rection, ajfriction ring arranged on the disk over said wings, some of'said wings having yielding tongues and yielding lips at the sides of said tongues, there beingre-entrant slits between each tongue and its lips, and means fastening said ring to said tongues.

10. A clutch plate comprising a disk havf ing a plurality of wings off-set on oneside thereo spaced apart within the periphery of the disk and all extending annularly in the same directiom'a friction ring arranged on the disk over'said wings, alternate wings having yielding tongues and lips, and means fastening said ring to said tongues.

. 1 5 HAROLD v. REED. 0

6. A clutch plate comprising a disk having luralit of wings oli-set on one side therea Q5 o space apart within the periphery. of the 

